1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vibration isolator and, more particularly, to lateral or axial vibration isolators in which leaf springs are employed to isolate vibration in rotating machinery shafts and mounts for supporting structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Because it is possible to standardize and mass-produce rolling element bearings, such bearings are cost effective and widely used in industry. Such rolling element bearings, however, have little damping force. Thus, to provide adequate damping force, squeeze film dampers are employed to add necessary additional dampening force. Such squeeze film dampers conventionally consist of outer and inner circular elements with the thin fluid film therebetween. However, unlike journal bearings, the inner circular element does not rotate. Thus, squeeze film dampers require an oil circulating system because of heat generation in the thin-fluid film. Such oil circulating system requires oil feeding, oil extracting and filtering systems. Hence, it is difficult to standardize and mass-produce squeeze film dampers and their installation is not easy.
In axial vibration isolators, such as, for example, large engines, building air conditioning units, printing presses, bridges and other large applications, rubber isolators, which are relatively inexpensive, have been widely used as resilient mounts. Such rubber isolators, however, when used in high temperature environments for long periods of time lose resilience and, thereby, static and dynamic characteristics are changed. Because the stiffness of rubber is smaller than that of steel, rubber vibration isolators are not appropriate for high load carrying applications.